India played key role in drugs manufacturing, vaccine development during Covid pandemic: WHO chief scientist

India played a key role globally in the development of vaccines and manufacturing of drugs, diagnostics and therapeutics in the three years of the COVID-19 pandemic, WHO Chief Scientist Jeremy Farrar said on Tuesday.

Two main things that are bringing the countries at the G20 meet here together are digital health initiative, and science & technology, research & development and manufacturing.

The third G20 Health Working Group meeting is being held in Hyderabad from June 4 to 6. It focuses on three priorities in the health track.

One of the priorities is health emergency prevention, preparedness and response with a focus on antimicrobial resistance and the One Health framework.

The second is strengthening cooperation in the pharmaceutical sector with a focus on access and availability to safe, effective, quality and affordable medical countermeasures.

The third is digital health innovations and solutions to aid universal health coverage and improve healthcare service delivery.